THE imam of a Stoke-on-Trent mosque appeared in court this week accused of committing serious sexual offences against two young boys.
Mohammed Hanif Khan
Mohammed Hanif Khan, 41, is a leader at the Capper Street Mosque, in Tunstall. According to this report, he appeared on Tuesday before North Staffordshire Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Fenton, accused of five offences – the attempted rape and sexual assault of a 15-year-old boy in Meir last year, and a further three counts of rape of a boy under the age of 13 last year in Tunstall.
Prior to outlining the prosecution case to the magistrates, prosecutor Paul Moore said:
This is a very sensitive case. He is an imam at the Capper Street, Mosque, in Tunstall. He commands enormous power and respect in the community. Not only is he a figure of respect in this area, but he is a figure of respect outside this area because of his teachings.
Moore asked the court to remand the defendant, who gave his address as Bardsley Close, Ellesmere Port, in custody.
Emma Wiseman, defending, told the magistrates that the allegations against her client were denied.
She said Khan had been on bail for some considerable time while the matters had been investigated.
Miss Wiseman said the defendant had co-operated with the police and complied with bail conditions.
The hearing lasted for 35 minutes and Khan was remanded in custody to appear at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court for a preliminary hearing there on February 15. The court’s decision to hold Khan in custody infuriated family members and supporters. They planned an immediate protest, but called it off when police agreed to meet one of the the organisers.
They now plan to stage a peaceful protest outside Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Monday, when Khan will appear for a preliminary hearing. Khan’s brother Mohammed Idris Iqbal, aged 49, from Sheffield, said:
Everyone will be outside protesting on Monday.
Among those upset that Khan was remanded in custody was his cousin Saj Iqbal of Newcastle upon Tyne. He had organised a march from the mosque to Tunstall police station, but called it off when Sergeant Deborah Losh agreed to meet him at the station.
Mohammed Irshad, another of Khan’s cousins, aged 37, from Sheffield, said:
This doesn’t just affect his reputation, but the whole family. He has been all over the world teaching children and we don’t think he is a bad person.
According to his website, Khan became the first ever full-time Islamic Minister in the history of the British prison service in 2001.
He further progressed in introducing and setting up religious initiatives by becoming the first Muslim and non-Christian multi-faith co-ordinator of the British prison service in 2003.
In 2004 he visited Buckingham Palace to receive a Butlers’ Trust Award from Princess Anne for his work in multi-faith and diversity.
He is patron and founder of Hizb ur Rasool (HUR), a charity dealing with youth issues and the propagation of Islam.
In 2008, the imam was among a group of business and community leaders drawn together to transform politics in Stoke-on-Trent.
He was appointed to the Governance Transition Board, a body tasked with making radical changes to the way the city is run.
Hat Tip: DannyJ
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
February 11th, 2010 at 8:48 pm
He hasn’t been convicted yet. However bad things look, I’d be very wary of saying too much based on allegations alone.
February 11th, 2010 at 9:11 pm
I’ve never understood why the press are permitted to identify defendants prior to conviction. Mud sticks!
February 11th, 2010 at 9:12 pm
I was just going to post the same as barrie. It’s a good idea not to jump to conclusions.
David
February 11th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
True, everyone deserves a fair trial and this man is innocent unless and until a fair trial determines otherwise.
This could be a case of internicine politics within the Muslim community in Stoke. Or it could be the start of a tsunami of cases comparable with those in the Catholic Church. Time will tell.
February 11th, 2010 at 11:39 pm
Surprise..surprise…too scared to comment because the guy is a muslim…He is a child rapist!!!! there you go…sharia law dictates he should be put to DEATH!!!!
February 12th, 2010 at 12:25 am
Les, as others have rightly pointed out, being accused of a crime is very different from being convicted of one. Don’t make judgements – that’s the job of the law.
February 12th, 2010 at 12:42 am
It’s a fair bet that child abuse goes on in Muslim religious institutions just as it does elsewhere, but that most victims have been too intimidated to come forward as yet. It will be interesting to see how this case develops, though I agree that the accused should be granted anonymity until proven guilty. I had to laugh at Les Healy’s remarks though: he obviously hasn’t read many of the comments on this site yet – hahaha!!!
February 12th, 2010 at 2:41 am
What is the likelihood that the accused will ask to have his case transferred to the Blair Bitch Program? If he does that, the question of guilt or innocence will be irrelevant, since either way he will be allowed to walk because he is “religious”.
Buggering young males is very koranic. According to sura 52:24, dead rugbutters “are to lie face to face on jeweled couches, and be serviced by immortal youths … young boys, their personal property, as comely as virgin pearls.”
February 12th, 2010 at 4:51 am
This place is in danger of becoming a madhouse, but I get my best laughs here!
February 12th, 2010 at 8:55 am
Les, let’s not sink to the same depths as the religious and judge this guy; he deserves a fair hearing using English law only and if guilty, severely punished.
February 12th, 2010 at 9:09 am
Les, why on earth would I be scared of a Muslim death squad? Commenting on the internet is one of the cheapest, easiest and safest ways to abuse any individual or dogma. Modern Islam is a contemptible mish-mash of bigotry, superstition and grievance politics – see? But we’re talking about one guy accused of a serious crime who deserves the standard of justice as you or I.
Admittedly, if we were talking about another case of Catholic clerical child abuse the comments would be different, for the simple reason that there’s a global pattern we all know about. Also, Catholic apologists are so bloody hypocritical about it that the message needs to be hammered home. With Islam there are plenty of other real faults to condemn without jumping to conclusions about one accusation.
February 12th, 2010 at 9:27 am
Of course, he *has* been indoctrinating young boys with religion…
February 12th, 2010 at 9:58 am
Dr Harwood: As a renowned legal expert (well, I do have an ancient copy of the Reader’s Digest “You And Your Rights”), may I be allowed to modify your statement slightly? Under the new Blair Legal Code, Christians are let off because they obviously know that what they did was wrong, whereas Muslims are let off on the grounds that they do NOT! I trust this makes things clear!!
February 12th, 2010 at 3:04 pm
The Cherie Booth decision that caused much gnashing of teeth recently was for a Muslim defendant and, unless you’re as unfamiliar with legal proceedings such as mitigation as I am, anything said about it is purely piss and wind. Jack of Kent commented on it at the time.
Whatever the situation with this Imam, he’s innocent until proven guilty and no amount of bluster and bigotry is going to change it. If he’s then proven guilty, then we can begin to get heated and outraged. Until then he deserves privacy and the protection afforded by law and common decency, regardless of his belief in a sky wizard.
February 12th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
What the Koran has to say about paedophilia:
http://www.apostle1.com/pedoph.....islam1.htm
I think Les Healy’s assertion may be somewhat wide of the mark!
February 12th, 2010 at 7:58 pm
Why on Earth do you feel the need to advertise this??? All “imams” are guilty of child abuse (apart from the noble Imam Harwood (PBUH))
February 12th, 2010 at 9:29 pm
“He commands enormous power and respect in the community”
I grew up within a couple of miles of this place & I don’t respect him, I think he’s a cunt.
February 12th, 2010 at 10:57 pm
There are people who hide behind pseudonyms because they have a genuine fear of vandalism or worse from the godphuqt among whom they have to live. And there are people who hide behind pseudonyms because they are dirty little yellow cowards who want to throw shit at the educated without revealing their intellectual handicap to the kindergarten that might be tempted to annul their graduation.
February 12th, 2010 at 11:58 pm
These mosques is wick with perverts. The rugbutters are known for it – a bit of touching. They go in there and take all their shoes off and leave them in little rows you know. Well if thell take ther shoes off stands to reason the little pants will come off when nobodys looking and if thell take the pants off theres gonna be touchin. The dirty bastards.
February 13th, 2010 at 9:12 am
I think we’ve kinda missed the point here… Ok, the guy has been accused of child rape, not convicted… BUT:
When he was remanded (and rightly so) his flock mobilised and went on a protest march to demand his release! On the grounds that he was a religious man! Whilst it’s wrong to assume he’s guilty before conviction, to demand his release and use threats such as
“There are hundreds of people who believe in him, who were just a phone call away from coming down here last night”
is riot culture and displays a blatant disregard for the law. So what’s new in this culture?
Stoke-on-Trent is a desperate place, post industrial decline and abject poverty, full of vulnerable people and political nutters. We have NINE BNP councilors already and this kind of Islamic idiocy just feeds their propaganda machine. Crazy Imams are not wanted or needed, pedo’s or otherwise.
February 13th, 2010 at 11:17 am
You’re right, @DannyJ: there’s always the underlying threat of violence when they perceive that they are “under attack”!
February 13th, 2010 at 4:49 pm
The problem is that for many muslims, their religious beliefs are paramount to them, certainly more important than real-world annoyances like “the law”. They find prospect of somebody they hold in high-esteem, religiously, having his character questioned intolerable.
As for their proposed riotous, protest… unacceptable!
February 13th, 2010 at 4:54 pm
Yes why didnt the police hit them with their batons? An outrage. I shall ask for a tax refund.
February 15th, 2010 at 7:29 pm
THIS MAN SHOULD BE LOCKED UP AND THE KEY THROWN AWAY HE IS A EVIL MAN HE USED HIS POSITION FOR HIS PLEASURES I HOPE HE GET WHAT HE DESERVES.
February 15th, 2010 at 9:52 pm
asquith any chance we could hav a chat???
February 19th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
It is quite remarkable what society has become in this modern day of living and thinking. technology has made our lives much easier, transportation has eased the burden of travel, globalisation has brought people together, yet our mentality and thinking has stooped so low that I cant even believe we call ourselves humans. People talk about justice and the notion of being innocent until proven guilty, yet all we think and say the most degrading and disrespectful words to others. Can anyone tell whether they have any background information to this case, how this has come forward, why this particular imam in question has been treated so unjustly? Before accusing others and sentencing, shouldn’t we gather facts? Or is that just something not worthwhile. For all those other people who have a brain the size of a peanut (and you know who you are, which is quite remarkable to be honest) and the intellect of an ass. Instead of citing hatred and raciest remarks, maybe you should study the religious quotes and cultural aspects of your fellow human, but then again data shows you that you may never have visited an educational institute. Therefore, relying on other insignificant breed of humans to provide you with such lies and hypocrisy. Once in a while, think for yourself.
February 22nd, 2010 at 1:43 pm
http://www.topix.com/uk/stoke-.....3#lastPost PLZ REPLY ANY COMMENTS ON THIS LINK…
March 8th, 2010 at 5:53 pm
many cowards posting here who would deny a fellow human due process of law because they are enraged at what others have said he has done.
take an anger management course, get your emotions under control, then post your comments.
anything else is a dangerous precursor to mob rule.
March 29th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Well well i am only gonna say we leave our children with imam’s and teachers for hours in the trust they will be safe there. But if something like this as come up there has to be something or another.Think about the child or children wat he is going through, If he has done it hope he rots.